It was free museum day, and the California Museum has a new temporary exhibit until January 10,…read more2027, titled Help Wanted/Leave Now - "Operation Wetback" The Revolving Door of Mass Deportation. The life size images and photos, and actual artifacts on display was so impactful, and I learned so much from this exhibit. It actually hit home from connections I was able to make with family that it was emotional for me. It also took me back to a time when I heard my family member being called a wetback 60+ years ago. Though there are so many areas in the museum of interest, like this years class of Hall of Fame on display, this new exhibit is what lead to my review, and to share that it will end soon. The photos do not compare to the exhibit in person.

I've been to the California Museum a few times previously, but visited most recently to stamp the…read moreIreichō, which was at the museum from February 14-19, 2026. My review is focusing on this specifically, due to the significance of the internment in my family's life. Information specific to the book / this event: The Ireichō is a book listing every person of Japanese ancestry incarcerated in the World War II camps. The Ireichō is currently making its way across various stops in the US, allowing family members and those that knew the incarcerated to stamp their loved ones names as a way to honor them and what they endured and their strength. After the tour, the book will be gifted to the Japanese American National Museum (in LA). The stamping of the Ireichō occurred inside the main entrance of the museum, and the museum graciously allowed those stamping the book to tour the rest of the museum. Museum staff and the staff hosting the event were very welcoming. The museum itself has both long-term and short-term exhibits, listed on their website. It's fitting that they currently have a temporary exhibit at this time called, "Kokoro: The Story of Sacramento's Lost Japantown", from December 20, 2025 to March 29, 2026. If you're interested in some of CA's history, it makes for a nice stop. It is Downtown Sac, so it's all paid street parking or lots in the vicinity. There is a lot right across the street.

We came for a weekday summer visit. When we entered, the front desk staff was very welcoming &…read moreprovided information. The museum has 3 floors. The first is like a massive warehouse with lots of space & high ceilings. It has sections with dioramas & history exhibits. It's where the locomotives & railcars are on display. The second floor has an area with chalkboard walls to write on. There is a floor space where you can build contraptions using wooden & foam pieces. The top floor has train models galore, a whole model train world with movement, & a Thomas-themed area with a small play structure, books, & activity tables. Things we saw & learned about here-- A lot of history from the perspectives of different people Acknowledgment of the huge contribution by Chinese workers Sculptures commemorating Chinese workers A railroad & farm-to-fork connection, & a little coloring activity Some railcars that you can glance into & some you can walk through, like a sleeper car & dining car The 2 staff members we encountered answered questions & gave information. Some notes-- The first floor is lit & has some natural light in areas, but it's somewhat dim. There was a gathering spot to join a tour if you wanted. When we walked around, we occasionally picked up on the smell of something like oil. There was a lot of bench seating near the Thomas play area. They have a gift shop & penny machine. It's definitely a worthwhile trip to see a very impressive display of locomotives & railcars, & have a great learning experience about railroad history.

Lived in the Sacramento area for 18 years and somehow never made it to the California State…read moreRailroad Museum until we had some out-of-town guests visiting! Better late than never, right? We finally decided to check it out, and it turned out to be a really fun experience. The museum is much bigger than I expected, with massive restored steam locomotives, vintage passenger cars, and so many interesting things to see inside. Walking through the old train cars was pretty cool, especially the beautifully restored dining car with its classic table settings and the old sleeping car that gives you a feel for what train travel used to be like. There's also a fascinating exhibit about the Transcontinental Railroad, including the famous Golden Spike, and the stories of the Chinese workers who helped build it. We spent a few hours exploring, learning a little history, and enjoying something different with our guests. After living here for 18 years, glad we finally crossed this one off our Sacramento bucket list. A fun stop if you have visitors in town or just want to explore a little more of your own backyard!

The Crocker Art Museum was a place I had always wanted to visit. I've been eyeing it for the last…read morefew years since moving to Sacramento, and finally, the opportunity came when my husband and I purchased tickets to a classical music concert series there. We arrived early so we could explore the museum before the concert, and I'm so glad we did! The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and check-in was very easy. They give you a sticker indicating whether you're a member, patron, or attending for the concert. The best part? Our concert tickets included admission to the museum, so we got a wonderful two-for-one experience. We started on the third floor and worked our way down, just as the staff recommended. There was SO much to see! I loved the variety of exhibitions and the incredible use of color. There were works ranging from modern and contemporary pieces to Baroque and classical art, along with beautiful geometric pottery and so many different artistic styles. It was truly a nonstop feast for the eyes. The museum itself was peaceful, quiet, clean, and very well organized. I also appreciated that there are very clean bathrooms conveniently located on each floor. We eventually made our way down toward the concert venue, although we didn't have enough time to completely explore the second floor. That just gives us another reason to come back! The concert was held in a relatively small venue, which made the experience feel incredibly intimate and almost like being in someone's beautiful home. The concert featured a violinist and pianist who performed continuously for just under an hour, with very short breaks between pieces. It was absolutely magical and beautiful. The audience was respectful and wonderfully quiet throughout the performance, which made the experience even more special. The musicians were also local to California, which was a lovely touch. The only thing we missed was the café. Since our concert was at 3 p.m. on a Sunday, we were actually getting pretty hungry by the time the concert started, but the café had already closed at 3. So if you're planning to spend the day here, I recommend grabbing a snack or something to eat before the café closes. Overall, we had such a beautiful day at the Crocker. I especially loved seeing the historic Crocker Mansion alongside the continuously changing exhibitions. It's a wonderful combination of history, architecture, art, and music all in one place. Whether you're a Sacramento local or visiting from out of town, I highly recommend adding the Crocker Art Museum to your list. We'll definitely be back -- and next time, we're making sure to see that second floor!

the Crocker Art Museum has 3 floors, each one full of artwork, historical artifacts and you are…read moretaken into a deep dive into History. you start from the 3rd floor, and you can make your way down via elevator or stairs. towards the end, i got myself a pin from the Museum Store the third floor focuses on artwork and large artifacts and depictions. the second floor is full of historical artifacts from africa, mexico, egypt and most civilizations throughout history make sure u pay your parking outside, right outside Museum, and the area itself is beautiful, here downtown Sacramento, so a nice walk after a long intake of History is very nice thx, Crocker

We were pleasantly surprised of this place. We have visited children's museums regularly all over…read morethe Bay Area. From reading the reviews, I didn't expect much. But, we hand a great time. Parking was $6 for the whole day, $19.99/ adult and $17.99 for kids. We especially loved the planetarium. We had just gotten back from another planetarium, but this one was so much nicer! My kids loved it. And the instructor was very knowledgeable. The kids loved downstairs and upstairs. You can tell they did a lot interactive displays for children and adults to learn. My kids loved touching all the buttons, interacting with the screens, jumping/hoping, making songs, etc. My favorite exhibit was the brain one- such fascinating stuff! I definitely recommend going especially if you have young kiddos. We had a Great time! Tip: There's a McDonalds on the other side of the freeway - go there before entering if you have kids.

This isn't advertised as a children's museum, but it should be. The exhibits were very hands on and…read moreprovided a surface level explanation. The exhibits were not well taken care of and showed signs of wear and tear, with some parts missing and some parts broken. Between the required parking fee and the adult ticket price for a museum so heavily catered to kids but not advertised as such, I was disappointed.

Wow! What a gorgeous historical venue! I recently went to an event here , first time but I was so…read moreimpressed with the building and the architecture. It's like a hidden treasure I've driven by so many times and from now on will always acknowledge. The pictures I took need no filter, that's how beautiful this place is. Check it out.

Only negative is the parking but other than that everything else was perfect . Margo was our tour…read moreguide and she was fun and informative. The mansion itself is preserved beautifully. Such history . Free tours on the hour and they seem to last about 45 minutes. Maybe add a small souvenir section for trinkets.

Haven't been here in a few years. Visited yesterday with a friend. So muchengineering and flight…read morehistory here. Look up, look down, look all around so you don't miss anything. There is an outdoor area where the big planes and jets are. The signage is good in describing their uses, names and missions. There is even a section on space travel. The docents are top notch. You can tell they are passionate about what they speak! Take a stroll upstairs to see the flight simulator room, very high tech. There is a gift shop, cafe, plenty of clean bathrooms. Enjoy your flight!

Worth a visit once. Location felt kinda odd getting to it but we were up for the adventure. Really…read moreenjoyed the planes you could walk i to outside. Also enjoyed the games set up theme related and for me especially loved the women in flight exhibit. This place appeared to be staffed entirely by enthusiastic volunteers who all had the most earnest, kind attitudes.... Feels great to check out a museum like this without the commercial shakedown like other museums can have. :-)

Our tour guide Margo was amazing. I learned so much about a beautiful building I've usually only…read moreseen from the outside. Everything from the Historic safe conundrum, architecture, to the lengths the staff need to go to to change a light bulb and the changes that were made in response to crazy people over the years. It was a wonderfully memorable experience anyone local or stopping by should have at least once.

I'm playing tourist in my hometown, Sacramento. This time I'm visiting the State Capitol. Have you…read moreever wondered what the heck is inside? Pondered if it's open to the public to wander about inside? Let me answer. Yes, the public can access the building on weekdays 9am- 5pm for free. Docent lead tours are offered 10am-4 pm on weekdays. Those too are free. However parking is not. There is a City parking structure a block away. Or try your luck finding street parking which are parallel parking. Those spots are metered (pay by app). To get into the Capitol, the entrance is he trailer facing N street. You have to pass through a security checkpoint. Capitol and CHP staff the security. I didn't go on a docent lead tour but wished I had. On my self guided wandering, I bumped into the group and the guide was very informational. I could have joined them but didn't since I started in the opposite direction and was on a time limit. Poor planning on my behalf. Anyways, guided tours met every hour in the first floor rotunda. Talking about the rotunda. Stand in the middle and look up. Beautiful, dizzying visual. The first floor have historic rooms restored to the 1906 Governor's Office, 1902 Secretary of State's Office, and other past times. The basement has the gift shop, restaurant (which is closed now October-December since session is out), additional artwork such as the Ronald Reagan statue, and a viewing window to see part of the drum rotunda support wall. The basement can be accessed by stairs or the elevator. If you use the stairs, check out the individual oil painting portraits of all the Governors. That's where I happen upon Governor Milton Latham's portrait. I found out that for a mere 5 days, in 1860, he was Governor. Intrigued, I searched the internet wondering why just 5 days. After the inauguration, he resigned to run for a U.S. Seance seat. He holds the record for the shortest CA Governor tenure.

Last month my Nephew has a Graduate Party for his daughter…read more I have to say they pull out the red carpet for us here the room was large enough for at least for a easy 200 guest so spacious Great lighting, a stage, air conditioning and gorgeous old classic car With gold ropes around the car but not touch it You can walk around the Car Museum it's really great here but I didn't And they have even a classic to sale If you like Hey! Maybe You want a classic car in your life. But this day we left one of my brothers classics there A 1958 Triumph at the museum I rode in it me and my nephew for the last time on the road. Listening great tunes I would buy it but I have no place for it It has Hawaii plates but does California plates too but is a good Triumph but this Triumph was in parades, and had a fun time even on TV in Sac. With many trips and keep pristine paint and body He really enjoy he cars taking out on the road The California Automobile Museum a great Museum with docents here to give you a tour on all these gorgeous classics It's real great spot to spend a afternoon and learn about these beauty's inside Come out and you'll see for yourself

If you like cars, the history of cars, and maybe even riding in a classic, this California…read moreAutomobile Museum is for you. With an easy to follow layout introducing some of the first cars, you follow the path through the evolution of the advancement of cars until you reach more modern day vehicles. Some of these cars having been beautifully restored were amazing to look at and read upon the historical significance they played. You also get to sit inside some of these vehicles. These automobile museums are always an awesome sight to see.

We went today for the 12:30 underground tour, our tour guide was a wonderful young man who made it…read moreso much Fun!!! As soon as we walked in we were greeted very welcoming place !!!

This is mostly a tour of old Sacramento, with just a little bit of underground thrown in, (no…read morepictures or video though) its a bit of a reach to call it an underground tour. I went on an underground tour of Pendleton, Oregon and few years back and thought this would be similar. Instead we walked around above ground looking at old buildings and then spent about 5 to 10 minutes in an old basement and learned about how they used jacks to pick up the buildings after a great flood back in the 1800s. On the bright side, the tour guide was very friendly and informative. If you're looking for a quick hour long historical tour, this is recommended, but don't expect too much underground stuff, you won't get it.

Such a fun museum for little kids. There's something to do for different age ranges. I would say…read morethe ideal age range is around 2 - 6 years old.  My kids had a blast here exploring each of the areas and we spent about 2 hours here. There's a lot of pretend play such as a fish market, grocery store, post office, flower shop, puppet theater, veterinary office. They even have a bin for "tasted toys" in case a kid puts something in their mouths. I saw staff wiping down toys which I appreciated because I did see a lot of younger toddlers putting things in their mouths. Hand sanitizer bottles are placed all over the museum. There is an art room with some crafts for the kids to do. For the babies, there's a separate infant play area that require shoes off. Good to go on a hot or rainy day for the kids to get their energy out. It's definitely worth a visit especially for the younger kids.

Solid Children's museum with a mixture of STEM and pretend play that suits kids 1-6yo. Our kids had…read morea blast and easily were entertained for a few hours. A nice touch was they had spare diapers to use as well. Kid friendly size toilets and bathroom sinks. Price is reasonable and also on Discover and Go. There's also nearby EV chargers as well.